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FAMILY JR. SETS A PLAYDATE FOR OCTOBER 3

New Canadian original series launches with six brand new episodes, anchoring a day of premieres

Toronto, ON – 21 September 2015 – Make-believe comes to life onFamily Jr. when the network’s newest show Playdate debuts on Saturday, October 3. A mix of live-action and skilled puppeteering, the new Canadian Original series features the unexpected adventures four stuffed animals encounter when their owners leave them unattended. With exciting escapades waiting at every turn, Family Jr. will premiere six new episodes over the course of the weekend – four on Saturday, October 3 and two on Sunday, October 4. Beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET on Saturday, Playdate will air before and after the brand-new special Thomas & Friends: Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure, as well as surrounding new episodes of The Save-Ums!, Topsy & Tim, Julius Jr.and leading into the network premiere of the animated film Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey.

Playdate beautifully captures the magical idea that children believe their toys come to life when they’re not around. Meet Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie – the beloved stuffed animals of Jacob and his friends who venture out on their own playtime adventures when the children are away. They do their best to complete the kids’ playtime adventures but usually end up causing some kind of mess or chaos along the way. Since the kids can never know their toys come to life, Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie have to finish their escapades before the kids come back and make sure they’re exactly where they started off. Luckily, Norman, the family dog, makes the perfect fall guy for any of their hijinks.

The premiere schedule for Playdate on is as follows:

Saturday, October 3

“Caught Between a Sock and a Stinky Place” – (9:55 a.m. ET) – Mac goes on a nighttime mission to make sure Jacob stays covered by his snuggly blanket while he sleeps, dodging Norman the dog and Jacob’s stinky feet on the way. It’s a hard job but if anyone can do it, Mac can!

“Tank Treasure” – (11:32 a.m. ET) – Jacob and Molly play pirates with Mac and Priscilla. They spot treasure in the fish tank but before they can get it, Mom calls them downstairs. Mac puts together a homemade diving suit to get the treasure out of the tank before the kids get back.

“Bubble Trouble” – (1:55 p.m. ET) – Jacob and Gwen are blowing bubbles and using Mac and Buckie to chase and pop them. Jacob comes up with a mission – to fill the whole room with bubbles! – but gets distracted before they can complete it. Mac and Buckie try to figure out how to make the most bubbles ever, but making bubbles when you’re small isn’t easy.

“Playing Knights” – (5:55 p.m. ET) – Jacob and Enzo have transformed Mac and Sammy into the bravest knights in all the land. They’re so brave they’re the only ones who can stop a dragon (Mom’s vacuum) from eating the castle. But when the boys get in the way of Mom’s vacuuming, she declares it’s snack time and it’s up to Knight Mac and Knight Sammy to protect the castle from the fearsome dragon.

Sunday, October 4

“See Norman Run” – (9:55 a.m. ET) – Jacob and Mac are dressed as robots and playing fetch with Norman in the attic. However, when Jacob gets called away for dinner, Mac accidentally throws Norman’s ball where neither stuffy or dog can find it. It’s up to Mac and Norman to find the ball before Jacob gets back to the attic.

“Scavenger Hunt” – (5:55 p.m. ET) – Mac and Jacob are on a scavenger hunt that Grandma set up in the house. They’ve already located Inviso-Boy and Evil-Tron but they still need to find Turbo-Kid. While Jacob heads downstairs to search the basement, Mac continues the hunt high up in the loft.

Families wanting to extend their playtime with Mac, Sammy, Priscilla and Buckie can visit FamilyJr.ca to learn more about the series, print off character-based colouring sheets and activities. A new Playdate game titled “Balloon Escape” will also be released on October 3 where fans can embark on their own adventure with Mac and the gang. All six premiere episodes that debut over the first weekend in October will become available on Family Jr. OnDemand beginning Monday, September 5.

Commissioned by DHX Television, Playdate was created by Dina and Frank Meschkuleit. Frank is one of Canada’s premier puppeteers with a wealth of knowledge having worked on popular kids programs including Fraggle Rock, Toopy and Binoo and The Mighty Jungle. The series was developed by J.J. Johnson and Christin Simms and is produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Family Jr. is a commercial-free channel available to English-language subscribers across Canada. Committed to capturing young minds and engaging young hearts, Family Jr., and its complementary French service, Télémagino, inspires imagination and make-believe at every turn with renowned Canadian series and popular preschool brands. Ensuring access is available to subscribers when they want it, where they want it, Family Jr. is also available through Family Jr. OnDemand and Family Jr. Online at no additional cost. Visit us at FamilyJr.ca.

About DHX TelevisionDHX Television is comprised of Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino, and is part of DHX Media Ltd., a leading creator, producer, marketer and broadcaster of family entertainment. Dedicated to celebrating family fun, DHX Television delivers best-in-class programming through premium subscriptions and its original production mandate, and creates and produces captivating in-market events that appeal to Canadian families. DHX Television is home to world-renowned series including The Next Step, Degrassi: Next ClassandTeletubbies. DHX Media Ltd. has offices globally, and is traded on the NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchange.